Forty years of atmospheric radiocarbon monitoring around Bohunice nuclear power plant, Slovakia.
Radiocarbon variations in the atmospheric CO(2) with attenuating amplitudes and decreasing mean values with typical maxima in summer and minima in winter have been observed since 1967 in two localities of Slovakia, in Bratislava and Zlkovce, situated about 60 km NE from Bratislava, only 5 km from the Bohunice Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The (14)C record in Bratislava has been influenced mainly by fossil CO(2) emissions, in contrast to the Zlkovce record which has been more variable, as it has clearly been affected by operation of the Bohunice NPP. However, during specific meteorological conditions with NE transport of air masses to Bratislava, the effect of the Bohunice NPP has been visible in Bratislava as well. Maximum (14)C concentrations (up to 120% above a natural background) were observed around A1 NPP which used CO(2) with admixture of air as a cooling agent. The (14)C concentrations around four pressurized light water reactors were up to 30% above the background. The Delta(14)C values in the heavily polluted atmosphere of Bratislava were up to 10% and at Zlkovce up to 5% lower than the European clean air represented by the Jungfraujoch Delta(14)C data. Later the Delta(14)C values were similar at both sites, and from 2003 they were close to the European clean air levels. The observed Delta(14)C behaviour in the atmosphere provides a unique evidence of decreased fossil fuel CO(2) emissions in the region, as well as the long-term effect of the Bohunice NPP on the Bratislava and Zlkovce stations. The estimated annual radiation doses to the local public due to digestion of radiocarbon contaminated food have been estimated to be around 3 microSv.
Povinec
P P
PP
Department of Nuclear Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina F-1, SK-842 48 Bratislava, Slovakia. povinec@fmph.uniba.sk
Chudý
M
M
Sivo
A
A
Simon
J
J
Holý
K
K
Richtáriková
M
M
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005843:Geography; D055848:Nuclear Power Plants; D018154:Slovakia
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002245:Carbon Dioxide